Against All Odds
by ASDF Rainbow Ninja
Summary: Nicole has been through a lot. With her friend's help, she's alive. After defeating Galactic, her, Barry, and Lucas are on break. Then Lucas's dad is taken. The team and their Pokemon are looking for him, finding plans and clues as to where and why he's been taken. It turns into another scheme to have Nic's Pokemon-whispering ability stripped from her, and many lives are at risk.


**Chapter 1**

**A/N- This story isn't very descriptive. I don't know if that will bother anyone or not. Please state any confusion you might have.**

* * *

Morning.

I'm awakened by the smell of delicious bacon, the greasy smell wafting through the house temptingly.

Wait. That means one of the guys are cooking. Shit.

I sprint into the kitchen, alarmed. "What are you doing?"

Lucas jumps nine miles before wheeling around to look at me alarmingly.

"Nic! Geez, don't scare me like that!" To be over dramatic, he places his hand over his heart. I roll my eyes, a smile pulling at my lips. "Sorry. But I could say the same to you! You're cooking!" Lucas mocks offense and turns to continue preparing the meal. "Can't I cook for my best friend, Pokemon, and amazing girlfriend?"

"No. It's illegal." I reply sarcastically, with a wide grin. He chuckles. "Well handcuff me and throw me in jail, then." I giggle like a girl- well...I am one- and admire my boyfriend's muscular back through his tight T-shirt.

Lucas and I go back to when we were kids. Our parents knew each other and stuff. But after his mom died in a lab accident, they moved far away. Two years ago, when I was 14, he came back to Sandgem Town, a couple miles from Twinleaf Town- a completely poor hick-town full of elders. I used to live there.

Sandgem is a little better, and is home of Professor Rowan's lab. Who disappeared for four years before returning. Lucas and his father work for him, and when Barry- best friend- and I overheard he was here, we finally got our Pokemon and caught up with Lucas.

After going on a grand adventure, Lucas and Barry went from worst enemies to best friends, Lucas and I went from best friends to significant others, we all grew up a lot, and gained some great Pokemon.

That I can communicate with because I understand every word any Pokemon says. Pokemon Whisperer, is what I'm called.

It's pretty beast.

The publicity is not, though. Last year, I was almost experimented on by Team Galactic. Luckily they didn't get the chance.

I only have four Pokemon, but that's honestly all I need. My first Pokemon was Alex, my Piplup, named after Barry's middle name- Alexander. He went from the cutest, most talkative thing to this huge Empoleon that's brave and responsible and always puts fun last- I always suggest for him to lighten up, but he's stubborn too. More than I am.

And so is Aurora, my Luxray. Like me, she's a rough tomboy- loves to be one of the guys and can kick some ass too. She's sweet and playful when she wants to be, but don't get on her bad side.

Like Alex does.

All the time.

My third Pokemon is Aarron- I know, lots of A's. That wasn't intended- the Staraptor. After having two incredibly loud and irresponsible Pokemon at the beginning of my journey, Aarron was a Heaven-sent. He was- and is- extremely quiet, but he's also monotone and doesn't express emotions. He is calm 99.9% of the time. Don't test that .1%.

Lastly is Lucario. I call him Luc, but he doesn't have a name because I love the species name. I found him being attacked by a huge flock of Zubat on Iron Island. Luckily, he's immune to poison, but God was he loosing a lot of blood. My Pokemon scared the Zubats away while I slowly approached Luc- he was too weak to back away, but he was trembling violently. I eventually pulled him into my arms and he bit the hell out of my forearm. I still have the scar. We all then hurried out of there and Aarron flew us to the Canalave PokeCenter.

I waited there for hours, even after they fixed up my bite and Barry and Lucas begged me to come back to the hotel. Lucario wasn't waking up at all, and Nurse Joy said he probably wouldn't make it. I refused to believe that, though. After falling asleep at his bedside, I was woken up by pain- Luc was gently prodding at my bandaged wound.

"You're awake..." I mumbled groggily with a weak smile. He didn't speak to me. He stared at the wound with regret, his palm resting on it. Carefully avoiding the spike protruding from his paw, I placed my hand on his. He jumped. "It's okay," I had assured him, "I would do the same thing."

"You would fight back if someone tried to help you?" he finally spoke, although through telepathy.

"No, I would bite a stranger who touched me." I replied with a wide smile. And we laughed about that for a long time.

Lucario is very distant and quiet, but he's strongly attached to me- therefore he knows how to be outgoing. He's also shy, but he knows how to fight, and he has a slight temper and is extremely defensive.

He hates Lucas, too. With a passion. Lucas never did anything to him- Luc just always says rather vaguely, "I just don't like him."

Well. I do. Lucas is amazing- strong, smart, brave, with ocean eyes and a breathtaking smile. And his hair. Black, sweeps across his forehead, soft and swishes when he moves. He's almost perfect.

While I have no idea what he sees in me- my name's Nicole, and I'm barely five foot with jet black hair, pale skin, and bright blue eyes. The eyes are the only thing good looking about me. I'm also stubborn, easily angered, rough, occasionally immature (just like my 14-year old self that I regret being), and sometimes I act too much like a guy.

Then there's Barry. My best friend. He's blonde with auburn eyes and hates loosing. He's got much better at handling himself, though. He's extremely fast and rather talkative to the point where I wanna kill him, but he's awesome.

We all rented a house together in Pastora City- Lucas, his Infernape, Barry, his Staraptor, Snorlax, and Torterra, and then me with my four. We all get along relatively well. Rent is easy to pay, and we're ready to leave at moment's notice.

And we have been for about six months now.

After Team Galactic was defeated- they tried to make a new universe using the legendaries and the experiment thing- not even Team Rocket has been active. Rowan has no mission for us, and we're not ready to head out to the next region just yet.

* * *

We are ready to eat, though, so the humans eat bacon while the Pokemon munch on Poffins and berries. I watch them with interest- Alex and Aurora are getting along like they used to, acting like best friends. For the first time in a long time, Alex smiles genuinely. I smile too.

Aarron and Star- Barry's female Staraptor- are talking quietly. Aarron is blushing, Star is giggling. They're so in love but yet so blind.

Everyone else is talking amongst themselves. Except Luc. Who's not in the room. And I know where he is.

I excuse myself and head down to the pond with a couple Poffins in hand. Sure enough, he's sitting in the edge, feet dipped into the water. Luc honestly hates water, but he loves watching it. It calms him down.

"Hey, you skipped breakfast." I note, taking a seat by him. He nods once, and takes a Poffin from my offering hand. "Thanks. And I just wanted to be alone. It's getting too crowded in there."

"I understand. I can leave." I offer, pointing back to the house. Luc looks at me with wide crimson eyes. "No! No, you're...it's fine." His muzzle is pink. I laugh and nudge his shoulder. "Okay then." He grins and takes a bite of his food, silence enveloping us. I dip my feet into the clear water, watching two Luvdisc dart around each other lovingly. "Aw..." I giggle, but Luc doesn't say anything, bringing back an extended quietness.

"You know, one day, I'm gonna teach you how to swim." I inform him with determination and a smirk. He groans frustratedly. "Not this again. Why me? You're not teaching Aarron to swim."

"Aarron's a flying type."

"And I'm a fighting." Luc argues. I sigh. "You just need to know, okay? Please?" I beg. We stare into each other's eyes for a moment before he backs away. "Fine." I grin and pull him into a hug. "Thank you."

It takes him a second to respond, but he returns my embrace, squeezing me gently.

* * *

At the end of the day, we're all situated in the living room, watching a movie. On the couch, I'm curled up into Lucas, his arm around me. My feet rest on the coffee table, and Luc lays with his head on my lap. Most everyone is asleep until the home phone rings rather loudly. Lucas, who's the closest, answers it. "Hello?"

And then, he looks terrified and pain-stricken.

"Lucas?" I question with concern, beginning to panic.

"What's wrong?" Barry chimes in.

"Alright. Yeah. We'll be there as fast as we can." He hangs up quickly. "My dad's been kidnapped."


End file.
